The King Returns
by Erosaf
Summary: Sarabi's thoughts when Simba returns, and takes his place as king after all the fighting with Scar.


"Sarabi!"

Sarabi sighed as she heard Scar shouting her name. She looked up at Pride Rock, knowing where he was. _I wonder what that incompetent fool of a lion wants now._ Sometimes she did not know what to think about Scar.

Sarabi rose, and started towards Pride Rock. Of course, she had to walk through all those filthy, rude hyena's, just to get to the place where Scar was. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked through the hyenas. One of the scavengers snapped at her heels and she glared at it, disdainfully. _What ignorant, stupid creatures_, she thought.

At last she was up on the top of Pride Rock. Closing her eyes, she spoke. _I will not look at him if I can help it. I tire of his idiocy._

"Yes, Scar?"

"Where is your hunting party? They're not doing their job."

Oh so this was about the hunting again? How many times had she gone out with them personally to try and find food somewhere? _Well, I guess I should remind him once more._

She stayed quite calm while saying this, despite the internal anger she felt towards the darker lion.

"Scar, there is no food. The herds have moved on."

His words though came as a half snarl.

"No. You're just not looking hard enough!"

She blinked, closing her eyes again. How dare he? Does he not realise how hard it is to hunt for prey? Ignorant tyrant!

"It's over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave Pride Rock."

It pained her to suggest such a thing, but she knew it was something that she felt was necessary. This might be their home, but it was not much of one if they could not provide for themselves enough food to keep everyone happy. _We were fine before he allowed the hyena's to join us._

"We're not going anywhere."

He had shocked her with that one.

"Then you have sentenced us to death!"

"Then so be it."

She could not believe he would say something like that. It made her feel both amazed a how much he had changed, as well as disgusted by how little he thought about everyone everyone.

"You can't do that!"

She glared at him. How could he change so much like this? She remembered the way he'd been as a cub, since she'd spent a lot of time around him with Mufasa when she was a cub herself.

"I'm the king. I can do whatever I want."

This time there was anger in her voice. She might have been able to contain it until now, but now there was reason to show it.

"If you were half the king Mufasa was you would nev -"

Scar lashed out at her with one of his paws. She knew the mistake she'd made when she had mentioned Mufasa's name. Even so, she fell backwards, falling into unconsciousness as she hit the ground once more.

She did not stay out of it for very long. No, it was the feeling of someone nudging her that woke her. She opened one eye and looked up, blinking. There was another lion standing beside her, and he looked very much like Mufasa.

"Mufasa?"

"No. It's me."

She took a second, closer look at the lion. Yes, there were some small differences she hadn't originally noticed. His mane was darker, as was the rest of his fur, not as golden as Mufasa's had been. She smiled, ever so surprised, and pleased.

"Simba?"

_Wait a minute... where did he come from?_

"You're alive? How can that be?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm home."

Simba nuzzled her, something she returned. It was certainly good to see her son alive once more, even if the circumstances were not so good at all.

"Simba?"

Sarabi noticed the confusion in Scar's voice, and could not help but smile, watching with pride as Simba walked towards Scar.

"Simba! I'm a little surprised to see you... alive."

She couldn't help but notice him looking up at three of the hyena's who promptly retreated out of sight. _I wonder what happened there?_

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." Simba sounded quite annoyed with Scar. She knew he had every right to be.

"Oh, Simba, you must understand. The pressures of ruling a kingdom.."

"Are no longer yours. Step down, Scar."

Sarabi knew that Scar wasn't going to fool his way out of this one. Not now that her son, his nephew had returned to all of them. She knew it had to be Nala who had found him.

"Oh, oh, ye - Well, I would, heh, naturally, heh - however, there is one little problem. You see them? They think I'm king."

One of the other lionesses, Sarafina, nudged Sarabi, and helped her to get up once more. As soon as she was back on her feet, she smiled as she spotted Nala amongst them. Good work, Nala.

Nala stepped forward now.

"Well we don't. Simba is the rightful king."

Simba didn't give Scar a chance to retaliate straight away.

"The choice is yours, Scar. Either step down, or fight."

Scar smiled slightly, and that bothered Sarabi. He did not smile normally, not these days. Not since he was a cub. Something was going on in the older lion's mind.

"Oh must it all end in violence? I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree Simba?"

Scar started towards Sarabi and the other lionesses.

What does he mean by that?

"That's not gonna work, Scar. I've put it behind me."

Scar stopped right in front of Nala and Sarabi herself.

"Eh, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?"

Nala blinked. Before she spoke the question Sarabi knew most of them were likely thinking.

"Simba, what is he talking about?"

Now Scar sounded utterly delighted as he turned back towards Simba. A dangerous move when it came to Sarabi, but for now, she held back her rage at the idiot of a lion.

"Ahh, so you haven't told them your little secret. Well, Simba, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death!"

Sarabi gasped. What did her son know about what happened to his father? What was Scar implying by whis words?

"I am."

At the look on Simba's face, Sarabi was shocked. Her mouth opened a little, as she walked over towards her son. There was grief clear in her voice as she spoke.

" It's not true. Tell me it's not true."

Regret showed in Simba's voice unfortunately.

"It's true."

"You see! He admits it! Murderer!"

All of them flinched when lightning sudden;y illuminated the sky at Scar's last word.

"No. It was an accident."

Scar circled around Simba now as he spoke.

"If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead; do you deny it?"

"No."

"Then... you're... guilty!"

"No, I'm not a murderer."

Scar stalked towards Simba, who was slowly backing away, towards the point of Pride Rock.

"Oh, Simba, you're in trouble again. But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now EVERYONE.. KNOWS... WHY!"

Sarabi groaned when Simba slipped. She couldn't believe that her son would have something to do with his own fathers' death. Now he was hanging onto the end of Pride Rock, and a fire was starting on the plains below.

"Simba!" Nala shouted.

None of them could hear what was going on up there, though they all saw Scar lunge forward, front claws over the edge and heard Simba roar. What was going on?

Then things changed as Simba leapt back onto Pride Rock, Scar pinned under him on his back.

"NoooooOOOO! ...Murderer!"

Sarabi was certainly paying attention now. Whatever Scar had done, it had caused her son to tackle him to the ground. That would have taken tremendous effort for Simba to not only get back on top of Pride Rick but land on Scar as well. Only something bad would have caused that.

"No, Simba, please."

"Tell them the truth."

"Truth? But truth is in the eye of the behold - llgkkk!"

Was Simba choking Scar? Was that why he'd suddenly been cut off?

"All right. All right -"

Scar must have said something none of them could hear, considering Simba's next words. Sarabi strained her ears to hear what was going on up there on the point of the rock.

"So they can hear you."

"I killed Mufasa!"

Nala leapt forward as the hyena's raced towards Simba. Sarabi did not even think for a second before she followed straight after Nala. That sounded much more likely than Simba killing Mufasa. _My son would never have killed Mufasa!_

It wasn't long before her claws raked across one of the hyena's faces, and the scavenger bolted away from her, down and off of Pride Rock, followed by several others. During the fight, she was aware of Rafiki arriving, and later she saw saw Simba stalking along, searching for someone. _I'll bet he's looking for Scar._ Scar who was not amongst those fighting for Pride Rock.

Just as Simba snarled she watched as he leapt forward. There was a flash of lightning and Scar could be seen fleeing higher onto Pride Rock. Sarabi turned back to help the other lionesses with removing the hyenas from their home. That did not take long. She was quite aware of a warthog and meerkat helping out as well. Strange that who of them should be amongst them against the hyenas.

Soon she heard furious roars echoing down from high on Pride Rock. One she recognised quite well. Scar. The other could only be her son. _They must be fighting._ It was the only way her son would be able to claim back the Pride Lands, but was he strong enough?

"I'm sure Simba will be fine. That boys finally got some muscle on him," Sarafina said, walking over to her as Nala came down to them.

"I hope you're right, Sarafina."

At long last there was one final roar, that sounded like Scar.

_He can't have!_ Sarabi stared up at Pride Rock, searching for any sign of movement coming towards them. Then rain started to fall and she was glad for the water as it struck her fur. There would be water to drink at last. Did this mean things were looking up for all of them?

Then she saw something. Someone was coming down the rocks, and they were bigger than Scar. As he got closer to the foot of the rocks, Sarabi smiled. _Simba!_ He had managed to win the fight it seemed. She walked over to greet him, knowing Nala wouldn't be far behind. After all, they had always been friends. But now, she felt it was something more.

After greeting her, son, she stepped back and watched with Sarafina as Nala butted heads, greeting each other. Sarabi smiled. _So they will be mates after all. I remember how opposed they were to it as cubs. Looks like things have changed._

At the sound of something being shaken, she looked up, with everyone else, including Simba. Rafiki motioned with his staff to the point of Pride Rock. Simba seemed to get the point and started up towards Rafiki.

Sarabi watched proudly as her son hugged Rafiki, who said something, before turning to walk up the length of Pride Rock. She gasped. Simba had certainly grown up into a fine young lion indeed. She was very proud of him. He looked uncertain though, when he reached the end, and was looking up at the sky.

The clouds parted for just a moment and she spotted one star shining brighter than the rest. _It can't be!_

"Remember!"

Sarabi's mouth fell open as she heard that voice, and she had to close it quickly. _Mufasa_.

Simba's eyes lowered, looking out over the land and the earlier unease she had seen in him was gone. He smiled for a moment, before opening his mouth and loosing a tremendous roar.

_It is time!_ She thought. _My son is ready to rule!_

She noticed a few of the others watching her for a few seconds as Simba's roar faded away.

Sarabi answered her son's roar, as did all the others. The circle was finally fixed. They had their king again. Their true king.

_I couldn't be more proud of you Simba,_ she thought as she roared.


End file.
